Job search strategy discussion thread

@Handle: Thank you.

Question: I want to add/connect with my supervisor of the company I did an interniship at on Linkedin. Thing is, I dunno if she'll accept (since she's one of the bosses), and I only have her company e-mail. Is it worth doing? We did have trust in each other (she gave me good marks on the report for college and I gave her a thank you gift on my last day), but I fear she might ignore the invitation for some reason.

Be sure to send a personalized link-up message explaining why you want to connect. Be polite and don't use "entitled" language. And if the message is ignored, that's okay; doesn't mean they think less of you, just that they're not interested in expanding their network.

Ok, thanks. I'll do that.

Turns out they don't have Glassdoor or an equivalent in Spain. Not that people don't vocally complain about that; they do want their own version. Closest thing we've got is the magazine Capital.

So I applied for three promotions. I was just informed that one of the promotions is not really a promotion and is already set aside for someone who already does that job. So kudos to her, I'm not upset there. She deserves it.

Now I just got a calendar invite for an interview for one of the other promotions I applied for which will be a bigger jump. This is pretty awesome.

The new insurance commissioner has been named and our current guy is being forced to step down as soon as possible, so it's still limbo, however I much rather leave a job saying I was promoted twice in less than a year instead of just once. (crosses fingers)

Good to hear!

My job continues to actually be part-time, as although all the contracts have now been signed, the product can't be delivered to most of the stores for the next couple of weeks.

Well, apparently this job is reserved for someone else as well...

I'm not bummed because these jobs are going for someone besides me, if I were them I would want that treatment. I'm bummed because I don't like getting my hopes up for these things.

Blah...

That sucks. It seems that you work so much, and yet they don't give you anything, no matter how many times you apply for different promotions.

edited 18th Dec '14 2:09:23 PM by Quag15

Basically, my boss said that I was very smart and they liked me, that I was a little quirky, but this job was reserved for (someone) and that while they had confidence that I could learn this job, they weren't really thinking of having me for that position.

(sigh)

Anyway, I'm not going to stop trying for promotions regardless where they lie.

What people don't seem to get is keeping me in a shit position while having more education than half of the room is what's making it hard for me to be patient with the projects. It's really hard not to be outspoken or even a little crass when you're surrounded by old people who are so disconnected from the population they are trying to serve they don't even know where to find them and you are part of that population.

Being underutilized makes polar bears cranky. I'll get over it.

They said that you were 'a little quirky'? That doesn't seem to be a complimnet, more of a Stealth Insult.

Perhaps it's a case of The Dilbert Principle? Since they consider you to be a competent person/polar bear in your job, they don't want to promote you. Alternatively, there could always be a bit of cronyism or someone using connections to get ahead (which are often things which cause said Principle).

edited 18th Dec '14 2:33:34 PM by Quag15

Not sure. I flat out asked what I needed to improve upon or learn in order to be more suited for any promotion or what I needed to improve upon.

Nothing. Didn't give me dick.

Just keep doing what you're doing...

Makes me very uneasy.

I smell dishonesty or, alternatively, an unwillingness to promote you. They're being a bit dickish/inconsiderate, imo.

Let's see how it will go. Perhaps, when the economy gets a bit better, you'll have better opportunities.

edited 18th Dec '14 2:50:20 PM by Quag15

It is probably just bad or lazy administration.

Posting a new position for people to compete for it is great, so is grooming someone to take that position

But posting a new position and taking applicants for it only to just have someone for it already is the equivalent of showing and leading people with the carrot on a stick, and them beating the shit out of them with said carrot on a stick.

Douche, stupid move. Waste of resources and time. Due to occams razor however I attribute it to stupidity, not malice.

They're just following state policy.

It's how bureaucracy works, especially more on the local or state level. Put in your decades and they'll be good to you. Your only problem is that you're young and lack connections.

Works sort of the same way for teachers. It's not meritocratic, but that has its advantages in the very long term.

I don't believe I've posted in this thread before, but here it goes. I'm going to be graduating from college next semester with a degree that probably isn't going to land me an immediate job(History). I've also had a an extremely spotty job record (As in, I've had three jobs in a ten year period, only the first for longer than a few months). I can't say I'm entirely certain what to do.

I'm almost 30. I'm not young regretfully.

start applying. Start volunteering or doing some sort of project someone can sign off on you for that isn't family.

20-something is like being a toddler when it comes to the civil service. What's the average age of your coworkers?

31, so near my age.

And I have been in state work for 3 years now.

Huh, different from PA. You can't see a woman this side of menopause at most civil service depts i've been to.

:-/ You've ruined my attempts to cheer you up. Kudos.

I appreciate the thought dear!

Alichains, lots and lots of applying for jobs.

To your specific situation; check to see if your college has an office that helps graduates find jobs. Also investigate any alumni associations; the "old school tie" trick has worked wonders for some people.

You may want to go for a skills-based resume over a job history based one. Emphasize how your college projects prepared you for job skills even if the job isn't about history.

I think I'm at the contract negotiation stage of the job I've been going through the application process for! Recruiter gave me a range of what they're looking to offer; probably should have asked what would make the difference between one end of the scale or the other, especially since the top number was the number I was planning to shoot for before the conversation.

Feels really weird; if I get/take it, this will only be my second "real" job.

Good luck. What line of work is it in?

I feel a sense of nagging unease, knowing that both of my jobs will only last through the end of April. Hopefully i can secure work for the summer through my university, and snag a paying internship on top of that, and i suppose it's only a prelude to what will come a year from now.

Or possibly just find full-time work for this summer and beyond (and drop back to part time for my final four classes).

Thanks! The field is web software development. My perhaps obvious tip for the day is also not to do anything that seriously messes with you biologically just before an interview. I ran really hard the night before, then spent the first three hours I was planning to use for sleep throwing up, and was still nauseous this morning.

Sounds like you've at least got some time to look, Ogodei. Best of luck!